The production of this year human rights situation report is the continuation of the Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) determination to update the citizens of Liberia and the international community on the human rights landscape of …

During this year, RAL carried out program and general activities including holding of community forums, workshops, meetings, trainings among others. All these activities are geared towards promoting human rights, rule of law and improved security. …

The Director for Programs (Amy T. Morris) and John Kabia of the Fund for Global Human Rights visited the Head office of the Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) on Benson Street. Their visit was intended to …

On May 3, 2016, the Assistant Program Manager for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Elizabeth Marcotte, paid a visit to the offices of the Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) in Monrovia. Among other things, she …

The production of this year human rights situation report is the continuation of the Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) determination to update the citizens of Liberia and the international community on the human rights landscape of Liberia.

During the year under review, RAL intensified its monitoring and documentation exercises after UNMIL turned over security of the state to the Liberia Government.

During the exercise, RAL’s monitors visited several communities, prison facilities, police stations and depots and other detention centers. Also RAL’s monitors monitored print and electronic media and followed-up to ascertain the authencities of these media reports for balance information.

Meanwhile, RAL as an organization shared this report with relevant security institutions for information sharing and correction. The report is also shared with other international institutions and diplomatic missions accredited to Monrovia to be informed of the Liberia human rights situation report during the year under review and for reference.

During this year, RAL carried out program and general activities including holding of
community forums, workshops, meetings, trainings among others. All these activities are
geared towards promoting human rights, rule of law and improved security.

2016 marked RAL’s 22nd year of existence since the organization began its human rights
advocacy in Liberia.

The Director for Programs (Amy T. Morris) and John Kabia of the Fund for Global Human Rights visited the Head office of the Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) on Benson Street. Their visit was intended to access the level of work done with the support given by the Fund.
After the discussion which lasted for about twenty-five (25) minutes, the two FGHR Executives thank RAL Coordinator, Mr. Sam N. Nimely and other staffs that were present during the discussion for the level of work done.

On May 3, 2016, the Assistant Program Manager for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Elizabeth Marcotte, paid a visit to the offices of the Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) in Monrovia. Among other things, she thanks RAL for the level of work done or progress made in the project target areas. She encouraged RAL to do more in the face of UNMIL draw down in June, 2016.

The Assistant Program Assistant of Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL), Otis Koon, attended a training sessions in Dare’salam, Tanzania, at the Best Western Plus Hotel on April 17-18, 2016. The training was organized by the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. The training centered around advocacy on death penalty abolition in sub-Saharan Africa. The training is also part of a project to increase mobilization on the abolition of the death penalty in Africa in partnership with Ditshwanelo, FIACAT, FIDH and the world Coalition Against the death penalty with funding support from the AFD and the European Delegation in Addis Ababa.

The training brought together twenty four (24) participants from three regions in Africa, to be specific West Africa, Central Africa and East Africa. The training opened with introduction and welcome remarks by the world coalition Against the Death Penalty secretariat. This was followed by an overview of the death penalty campaign in Africa, by Fulgence Massawe of the Legal Human Centre in Tanzania. Mr. Massawe gave the brief history of the campaign along with the international legal principles and human rights law.

On day two (2) of the training, RAL Assistant Program Assistant, (Otis Koon) presented on the existing campaigns on the abolition of the death penalty in Liberia; challenges and opportunities. He makes participants to understand the challenges and opportunities faced in the process of the campaign against death penalty.

Rescue alternatives Liberia (RAL) is a national human rights, anti-torture and death penalty advocacy NGO that has being monitoring, investigating, documenting and reporting human rights issues in Liberia since 1994. RAL is a participating member of several international and national groups.

This Annual Report is in fulfillment of RAL’s obligation to document and highlight rights violations and abuses over the year and other project and general activities. This report also provides opportunity to national and international actors to get the clear understanding of the works of RAL.

On Monday, 3 November 2014, Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) in collaboration with the Liberia Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (LICHRD) released its findings of an investigation conducted on human rights violations in West Point during the 10-day quarantine of the community. On 20 August 2014, the Liberian Government declared a quarantine of the largest slum community in Monrovia. There were numerous human rights violations carried out by armed soldiers and police, including the use of excessive force, torture, extortion of money, etc. See Report…

Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) says it attention has been drawn to the appalling situation in these difficult times with the Bureau of Correction and Rehabilitation which is responsible to provide services to inmates throughout the country.

According to the civil society group, the lives of detainees, and Correction Officers who interact with both detainees or prisoners and visitors on a daily bases are at risks as detention centers, especially the Monrovia Central Prison currently lacked basic Ebola prevention materials to stop the spread of the virus in the prisons.

This, RAL noted was seen at the Monrovia Central Prison where corrections officers who are contending with over 900 inmates have no protective equipments and logistical support.
In a statement addressed to the Ministry of Justice and the Ebola Task Force dated on August 26, 2014, the group also said the MCP lacks testing gears to test those detainees who are set free before getting into the communities and at the same time, testing incoming inmates before joining their colleagues.

“The unbearable condition in the Monrovia Central Prison (MCP) poses high risks on the lives of both correction officers and inmates as government is doing little or nothing to find remedy to the ugly situation,” RAL said.

The Rescue Alternatives Liberia underscored the need for an effective way of preventing the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in prisons, stressing the need for the Bureau of Correction and Rehabilitation to be included on the Ebola Task Force committee in order to effectively respond to any Ebola case in prison centers in the country.

The human rights group called on the Ministry of Justice and Ebola Task Force to establish testing centers in prison centers in order to reduce the spread of any outbreak of the virus in the country’s prison sector and provide logistical support for correction officers.

RAL is of the philosophy that any outbreak of Ebola in the prisons will pose uncontrollable increase of deaths of prisons workers, prisoners and community residents and unlash hardened criminals in the society, meaning increase in crimes in Monrovia and its environs.

RAL is an anti-torture, prison reform and death penalty abolition campaigner, a member of several national and international networks including the Liberia Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (LICHRD), West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN), and International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) and World Coalition against the Death Penalty (WCADP), among others.
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The Washington DC based National Endowment for Democracy has provided Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) with a one year grant to “Promote Rule of Law Reforms” in Liberia. The project is aimed to increase awareness on human rights violations in the penal system; advocate for prison reform; and strengthen trust between the community and the police in 3 counties – Ganta, Nimba; Gartala, Bong; and Monrovia, Montserrado Counties.

It is agreed that RAL will use renewed Endowment support to advocate for the fair treatment of prisoners in accordance with Liberian law and international standards that govern detention and due process of prisoners; raise awareness on prison violations using the media and by issuing regular press releases; and create and provide training for community policing forums and committees.

In close collaboration with local community-based organizations, RAL will monitor and document conditions in the detention facilities in Monrovia, Gbarnga and Ganta cities, through interviews with inmates and authorities. Additionally, monitors will document evidence and testimony of human rights abuses and police brutality against inmates. RAL’s observations and conclusions will be compiled into an annual human rights situation report, and will be communicated to relevant authorities for improvements.

Liberian prisons still suffer from overcrowding, deplorable health and sanitation, poorly trained staff, and diminishing resources. RAL will also continue its mediation services for inmates in the Monrovia facility, which will reduce the number of cases processed through the courts and help defendants that linger in pre-trial detention. RAL will publish an annual report on the criminal justice system, prisoners’ welfare, and cases of torture in Montserrado County.

In partnership with local authorities and community-based organizations in Bong, Nimba, and Monrovia counties, RAL will strengthen existing community policing committees where they exist and establish others to improve relationships between community residents and the police; hold and/or facilitate a quarterly community policing forums, bringing together over 50 residents and security personnel, to discuss methods for mutually beneficial collaboration around fighting crime and human rights abuses.

In the NED Board recent meeting awarded the 1-year grant to RAL covering 1 July 2014 – 30 June 2015. The NED grant was awarded in accordance with the authority contained in Public Law 98-164 (the NED Act) as amended and Grant Number S-LMAQM-14-GR-1008 (CFDA 19.345) between the United States Department of State and the National Endowment for Democracy.

It is expected that at the end of the project one year duration, the following will be achieved:
» Law enforcement and correction officers will demonstrate a clear understanding of prisoners’ human rights in the handling of inmates as required by law;
» At least 75 cases are mediated which results in fewer defendants in pre-trail detention and reduces prison overcrowding for non-criminal cases;
» Through its publication and press statements, prison reform, prisoners’ rights, criminal proceedings and police behavior are brought to the attention of the authorities and are addressed by the government; and
» Community-Policing Committee members demonstrate a clear understanding of their roles and provide direction for improving rapport between residents and the police on crimes and human rights violations.

Since 2003, NED has being supporting RAL in its work of advocating and creating awareness for the respect rights of prisoners, reporting violations in detention, reform in the rule of law in Liberia. With the NED and other donors and partners’ supports, RAL has come to impact the rule of law landscape of Liberia.

For further information and follow-up on the grant and implementation, you can contact:

This year annual report is a result of the Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) commitment to inform the general public and the international community on the activities undertaken by the organization during the year under review. The production of the annual report is also one of the organization major activities through which its donor partners and the general public can be informed on the group general activities.

The report catalogued all activities of RAL including national, regional and international conferences, meetings, workshops attended. Also in this report are updates on prison monitoring exercises conducted, follow up on human rights violations and abuses reported in the electronic and print media, workshops and community policing forums organized among others.

The report contained RAL observations on issues that are contributing to human rights abuses and violations, and recommendations intended to address those issues identified for the benefit of the country and its people.